Book-edge-printing machine.



L. R. SMITH. BOOK EDGE PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IuIY 6. IsIz.

L. R. SMITH. BOK EDGE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IULYG, 1912.

Patented July 4, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

me mmm: Krans co., puomumo. musmavuw. n. c.

L. R. SMITH. 590K EDGE lPRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IULY. I9I2.

. a .I z a w z y 6 Lm m NN. QZ i y 0 M Alm I w Vs n? .mqr ad?4 J,... i f7 du H .n.0 I 3 ff t I a I I D1 I f .W ,5, f 5. Wi f m ,M 7. M 0. W f W. f I -.o/. n 6 T E 0. 5 O .i n W w w w w M ,Z w?. .o I 4 M .w w y s 9 ..0 Il 0 9 0. 7 l e 8 J /w L ,m fw l :v A1..... M W w LOUIS R. SMITH, OE COLORADO SPRINGS, OOL'ORADO, ASsIGNOR "ro rIIE UNIVERSAL INDEX-ING COMPANY, OE DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OECOLO'RADO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 19156.

Application ined July s, 1912. serial No. 708,074,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS R. SMITH', citizen of the United States, residing at Colorado Springs, county of El Paso and State 'of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Edge-Print ing Machines ;r and l 'do declare the following 4to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such'as will 'enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to -makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which formv a part of this specification.

My invention relates tor improvements in machines for printing Von the edges 'of books,

yas city directories and various other booksV which lfor different reasons require that the `prii'iting or index marks shall be visible on their exposed edges. It is Well known that the printing of advertisements on the exposed edges of directories is a very popular way of advertising, butfso far as l am aware this 'operation heretofore has been accomplished only by hand. Y

The object of my present invention is to do this Vwork auton'iati'cally,y that is to say, to provide a4 machine which, when set in operation, will place the boo-ks position Jfor .printing and remove them from saidL position successively, the machine operating continuously andprinting the required matter on the edge of each book as it is brought into position therefor. Provision is also made for perforatin'g the books at one corner. as is usually required in the. case Vof v city directories, for the purpose of passing a string therethrough, by the aid of which the directory may be suspended or hung by a suitable hook.l My improved machine automatically 'accomplishes all of the various functions required in work of this class. The element for perforating the book may be employed or not, as may bedesire'd. It is evident that it may be 'desirable to print or place index -marks upon the edges of some hooks other than directories, and where it will notbe required to periorat'e the book since it is not necessary to Aapply a supporting cord or` other' device to the book. In printing 'on the edges of books which do not require a perforation, the p'erforating tool or instrument may be removed from the chuck of the operating device.`

4Having briefly outlined my improved 'con- 55 "struction, l will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in 'which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In ythis drawing: Figure l is a side elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a face view of a crank wheel, several of which are employed in the construction of the machine. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 8 3, Fig. 2. Fig. l is a frag- 65 mentary section` taken through 'the machine ,on the vline ava, Fig. 5; Fig. 5 lis a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section off the machine taken on the line GMG,k Fig. 4, looking downward,

or in the direction of the arrow yadjacent said line. Y

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views,

Let the numeral 5 designate the Jframe 75 work of my improved machine, the same consisting of a casing in vwhich 'many of the operating parts of the apparatus are concealed and protected. In front of this frame work is mounted a sort of table,c"on 80 ,tainingan ladjustable receptacle A7 for holding the books upon whose `edges lthe printing is ltobe done. The side walls 8 of this ifeceptacle are raised above the top 9 'of the tablea distance equal to the 'thickness 'of 85 one of the books 10 to be handled. Mounted on top of the table is a vmovable block112 which is adapted to he reciprocated for the purpose of successively removing the books from the receptacle as they 'drop upon the 90 table. As soon 'as a book has been removed, the ejecting block is moved rearwardly from the receptacle, allowing another book to drop Vinto place upon the table, then by the forward movement of the block the said book is 'ejected and `caused to move into position for printing, ythe mechanism of the body of n the machine 'serving to handle the saidbook duringan'd after the printing Operation as hereinafter fullyV set forth. y

AThe body of the machine contains a top plate 13, the opposite lsides of which are provided with tracks 14, upon which are 'slidably mounted cogged vracks 15 with which are pivotallyconnected as shown at 105 16, pitmen'` 17 whose Opposite extremities are pivOta-lly connected with wrist pins 18 of crank wheels 19, which are mounted and i y ing arms '28 having base iianges 29 secured I to the top 13 of the machine by fastening deing its Aprinting made fastupon a shaft 20 mounted in journal-boxes- 21 supported -on top of the machine. These crank wheels 19 are prefer- 'ably of the construction illustrated in. Figs.

2 and .3 of the drawing, each consisting of a disk 22 to which is applied a ring 23 which extends beyond the disk, this extension carrying a screw 24 which is journaled in the ring. Upon this screw is mounted a nut carrying the wrist pin y18. By virtue of this construction and arrangement, the wrist pin Y may beadjusted upon the screw for the purpose o-f regulating the stroke of the pitmen One end 25 of the screw is adapted to receive awrench or socket key whereby the screw may be rotated for the purpose of adjusting thewrist pin thereon for the purpose stated. 'Gear wheels 26 are mounted and made fast upon spindles 27 journaled in supportvices'30. Pivotally connected to each of the spindles 27 is a link 31 whose opposite extremity Yis pivotally connected as showny at 32 withV the uprightmembers 33 of a type Vcarrier 34 which performs the printing vfunction, the face 35 of the type carrier being equipped with the necessary platesor type for performing theprinting function. A second link 36 is also pivotally connected v with each arm`28 as Yshown at'37 while its opposite extremity is pivotally connected with thearm 33 of the type carrier as kshown at v38.

' When the machine is in operation, the

crank. wheels 19 are rotated whereby the rack bars'l are reciprocated. During this reciprocating operation the type carrier is alternately moved from its forward position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 and to its rearward position shown in dotted lines in theV same figure. l/Vhen in its forward position the type carrier performs the printing functionv upon the edge of one of the books 10. The rearward movement of the type carrier is accomplished for the purpose of supplyface 35 with the necessary ink for printing purposes after` each-printing act. Vhen in its rearward position, the type carrier is brought into contact with an ink belt or band 39l`which is actuated by a roll 40 mounted on a shaft 41, a step by step lmovement. being `imparted to the said kshaft movement in one direction the pawl 44 slides over=the-teeth ofthe ratchet, while during its movement in the opposite direction, the pawl engages the teeth ofthe ratchet to ro- Y tate the shaft41 whereby the ink belt or Aconnected as shown at 50 with a rod 51 extending transversely of the machine. This rod is connected at the opposite sides of the machine with two levers 52Y fulcrumed as shown vat 53 on blocks 54yslidable onbrackets 55, the said yblocks together with the leversbeing adjustableby means ofa screw 56 journaled in a depending lug 57 of the bracket and threadedin a nut 58'formed integral with the block, the nut being connected with the body of the block by a neck movablefin va slot in the bracket. the screw 56 the rod 53 together'with thelevers may bel moved back and forth in order to regulate their position vwith reference to Each lever 52 consists of a curved lower portion 60 and an upper member 61. The two members 61 of the levers 52 are connected by cross pieces 62 set into the front face vthereof and other cross pieces 63V and 64 applied to their opposite sides. The two levers 52 f are connected by the cross pieces62, 63 and 64 which also connect a number of fingers A65of substantially the same construction as the upper parts 61 of the levers 52. During the rotation of the crank wheels 49 and the consequent reciprocation of the pitmen 48, the levers 52V and they iingersv65 are oscillated. During the movement of theV said pitmen in the forward direction, the clamp or receptacle 7 to a position resting on a series of horizontally disposed fingers 66 rig- ByA adjusting the thickness of the book 10 tov be acted on.`

' composed of the levers 52 and therlingers 65 idly connected with a transverse bar 166 vertically adjustable yon a screw 67 journaled in lug 68 formed integral with of a lever' 69 fulcrumed at 70. is provided with a hand wheel may be rotated for the the bar 166 vertically in order to regulate the position of the fingers 66 with reference to the dimensions of the book 10 which is handled by the machine.1 l

The levers 69 are arranged to oscillate on their fulcrums 70 and this movement is acthe upper part The screw 67 71 whereby it purpose of adjusting lcomplished through the instrumentality of pitmen 72 whose rear extremities are pivotally connected as shown at 73 with Crank wheels 74 fast on opposite ends of a'shaft 75. The object of the oscillatory movement of the levers 59 is to movev the iingers 66 back and forth according. as it is necessary wir tosupport or release a book 10. lVhile supporting the book 10 for printing purposes, the levers 69 are in their forward position and the fingers (36in their horizontal position, while during the backward movement of the levers (see the dotted/line position in Fig. 4) the fingers are removed from the book supporting position allowing the latter to drop downwardlyfwhere it strikes a metal apron 7 6 and is guided thereby to a belt conveyer 77 mounted on end wheels or drums 78, the upper run of the said conveyer traveling in the rearward direction, or that indicated by the arrow adjacent the conveyer (see Fig. 4) whereby the books are dis charged from the machine,the rear wall of the casing being open as shown at 79 for the purpose. j

Where books, such as telephone directories, are to be perforated for the purpose of passing a supporting cord or looptherethrough, l employ a boring tool or a bit 80 inserted in a chuck 81 in which it is made fast by a set screw 82. This chuck is mounted on the forward extremity of a shank 88 whose rear portion 84 is polygonal, preferably square in Cross section. This squared section 84; of the shank telescopes in a hollow shaft 85, whose opposite extremities are journaled as shown at 86 onl` a U-shaped holder 87 pivotally mounted on a shaft 88 extending at right angles to the shaft 85. Fast on the extremity of the shaft 88 adja cent the shaft is a beveled gear 89 which meshes with a beveled pinion 90 fast on the shaft 85 for rotating the latter and imparting a corresponding movement to the shank 83 and the boring tool 80. The tool 80 is moved forwardly during its rotary action for perforating the corner of a book 10, by a lever 91 whose upper extremity is forked as shown at 92 to straddle a collar 93 loose on the shank 83 to permit the latter to rotate freely therein, but prevented from moving longitudinally on the shank by stop collars 94 fast on opposite sides of the collar 93, the stop collars being fast on the shank and therefore rotating therewith.

In order to actuate the lever 91 whereby it is caused to impart the forward and back movement to ythe perforating device, the said lever which is fulcrumed at its lower extremity as shown at 95 is provided with a frame 9G having an opening 97 in which is located a cam 98 arranged to act upon the rear face 99 of the frame for the purpose of imparting the rearward movement to the lever, its forward movement being imparted by a coiled spring 100 which is connected with the lever at one extremity as shown at 101 and the stationary part of the machine at its opposite extremity as shown at 102.

Y Hence it will be understood that the cam 98 acts only on the yface 99 of this frame on account of opening 97 being large enough whose outer extremity Vis 104: meshing with a gear 105 on the shaft 75,

to permit the rotation of the cam without touching the other surfaces of the frame. This cam 98 is fast on a shaft 103 upon made fast a gear the gear 105 in turn meshing with a gear 106 fast on the shaft 88 carrying the beveled gear 89 as heretofore explained, the shaft 88 being rotated by means of a pulley 107 fast on the said shaft and connected by ymeans of a belt 128 with a line shaft or suit-y able motor not shown. Also meshing with the gear 106 is a gear 108 fast on a shaft 109 journaled on the frame work. This shaft is that upon which the crank wheels 49 are mounted. Also meshing with the gear 108 is a top gear 110, the latter being fast on the shaft 20, this shaft serving to operate the crank wheels 19 employed in actuating the rack bars 15 through the medium` of the pitmen 17 as heretofore eX- plained.

In order to apply the necessary ink to the belt 39 which kpasses over a fiat plate 112 located above the' roll 40, I employ an ink receptacle 118 in which is mounted a roll 11a journaled in slots 115. The journals of this roll are acted on by springs 116 connected with a stationary member 117, the springs being normally under sufficient tension to hold the inking roll 114 against the belt 39, the inking roll receiving a supply of ink from the receptacle 118, as the said roll is actuated. The roll by virtue of its engagement with the ink belt 39, is rotated as the latterV is actuated through the ratchet and pawl construction heretofore explained.

The blocks 5i are moved back and forth for the purpose of adjusting the clamping device to cause the latter to conform to the dimensions of the books handled. Tt is also necessary to adjust the pitmen 48 and for this purpose each of the last named pitmen is composed -of two parts connected by a turnbuckle 118.

For the purpose of feeding the books 10 to the machine from 7, two rods 119 are pivotally connected at their rear extremities with the rod 51 while their forward extremities are connected as shown at 120 with the lower ends of levers 121, one only of the latter being illustrated. These levers are fulcrumed as shown at 122 on the table G below the top 9 thereof, the upper extremities of the levers being forked as shown at 123 to engage projections 124 with which the opposite extremthe rack or receptaclel ities of the feed block or follower 12 arev Fig. 1), the levers 121 are actuated to move the same from the dotted line position in Fig. 1 to the full Aline position, during which time the follower l2 is moved from means for supporting a ving width between the edge a p osition in the rear of the book-rackor receptacle 7 to a position directly below the pile of books in the rack, and while assuming this position it acts upon kthe lowermostv book to eject the same and cause it to Lmove lrearwardly into position upon the fingers of the levers 69.- Then as the rearward movement isimparted to the pitmen 48, the

bookis tightly clamped in place, its'outer surface being engaged by the front portion 135 of the casing while its rear surface is acted on by the clamping levers 53 and their cooperating fingers 65. Every time a book is clamped in position, as just explained, the pitmenv 17 are moved rearwardly, imparting a corresponding movement to the ,rack members 15 whereby thegears 26 are actuated to move the type carrier 33 from the inkingposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 to the printing position shown in full lines in the same figure, the type carrier sei-ving to print the desired matter upon the edge of the book 10, which is uppermost. During this printing operation the perforating device is moved forwardly, causing the tool to form the perforation in the proper corner of the book.- Then as the clamp isreleased by throwing it into the dotted line position in Fig. 4, and the supporting fingers 6G are movedrearwardly to thedotted line position in the same figure by virtue'of the mechanism heretofore explained, the boring tool 80 is also moved rearwardly to disengage it from the book,

allowing the latter todrop first to the apron 76 and then to the endless .conveyer 77 which discharges it from the machine, as heretoforeeXplained. The conveyer belt 77 is operated by a belt 126 leading from a pulley 125 fast on the shaft 103, to a ulley 127 fast on. a shaft 129 of the drum 7 8.

The U-shaped holder 87 has a depending Vprojection 130 connected with one wall of the casing bya set bolt 131 passing through a curved slot 132 of the casing. By moving this projection 130 in either direction Afrom the vertical position shown in the drawing, the U-shaped frame may be tilted to impart a corresponding movement to the boring tool whereby the latterv may be .given an upward oidownward-inclination from the horizontal position shown in the drawing, (see Fig. 4).

aving thus described what I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination withA a suitable yframe, a book in the edgewise position for printing purposes, said means being adjustable to fit books of varyengaging Vthe my invention,

v support `and the edge'upon which the printf stationary members Abook and the inkingdevice, two pairs'of ing. is done, an inking device, a type carrier,

located between the .edgewise position for -links connecting the type-carrier with said members, a rock spindle jou'rnaled in each of the stationary-members and with which one link of each pair is connected, and'means for rotatingthe spindles to throw and inking purposes.

2. In a book edge printing machine, the

combination ofa type carrier, means for.

tary movement to the spindles in reverse directions,rwhereby the type carrier-is alter-y nately .brought into contact with the inking means and the book edge for printing purposes.

3. In a book edge printing machine, the` combination of a type carrier, a support for the book, said support beingadjustable, a clamp for holding the book in position for printing on said support, the clamp being adjustable, ing the books to the support and into position to be acted on by the clamp, means for automatically actuating the supporting means to cause it to alternately support and release the book, means for automatically actuating the clamping means to cause the latter toy alternately clamp and release the book, the adjustment of the clamping and book-supporting means being timed to work Y, in synchronism.

4. In a book edge printing machine, the

ycombination of means `for automatically feeding the book into position for printing, means automatically operated for alternately supporting the book in operated for .alternately'clamping the book on said support and releasing the same, means automatically operated for printing the book edge, book, and means for removing the books from the machine, the various koperations being synchronously timed, substantially-as described.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a suitable frame, automatic means for alternately supporting a book in edgewise position for printing purposes and discharging the same, an inking the typeY carrier alternately into lposition for printing means for automatically feedposition for printing, and releasing same, means automatically .means for perforating theV -75 a book in position i so device, a type carrier, stationary members:13G

each pair is connected, gears fast on said' spindles, and means for automatically rotatmg the gears to throw the type carrier alternately into positions for printing and inking purposes, the latter means being so timed with relation to the book-supporting and discharging means as to cause the type carrier to engage the edge of the book while supported and to move to and from the inking position while thatbook is being discharged and another book is being supported.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means for automatically feeding the book into position for printing, automatically operated means for clamping the book flatwise in such position, said clamping means being automatically releasable, means for supporting the book, said means being engaged by one edge thereof and automatically actuated for bringing it into the supporting and releasing positions, a type carrier, and means for automatically actuating the said carrier for printingupon the edge of the book opposite that engaging the support, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a type carrier, means for automatically carrying a book into position for printing, means for automatically clamping the book fiatwise in such position, means for supporting the book at right angles to the action of the clamping devices, the clamping devices and the said supporting devices being adjustable to fit books of varying width and thickness, means for automatically actuating the type carrier to print upon the edge of the book opposite that engaging the support, the printing device acting at right angles to the clamping device, means for automatically releasing the clamping device, and means for simultaneously releasing the supporting device to allow the book to leave its printing position after the performance of the printing function.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS R. SMITH. Witnesses A. J. OBRIEN, MAY CLnuENTs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centi each, by addressing the Gommssioner of Patents, Wnhington, '.D. 0. 

